AFTER THE TREATY 337

a free hand in internal affairs.1 But this was the moment when the
army bill was before the house, and it was not to Bismarck's
interest to express confidence in the international situation.

Yet the Tsar seemed to be anxious to bring relations back to
normal. He recalled Oubril from Berlin, and appointed
Saburov, who was known to be persona grata to Bismarck and
Radowitz, in his stead. He came full of ideas and suggestions
for an agreement, but until the army bill was through the
press continued to thunder against Russia and her military
preparations. By the end of March, the army bill safely through,
Bismarck professed to be rather more hopeful about the prospects
of peace, not that he trusted Russia and France any more, but
now the army bill was passed, he felt that Germany was ready
for any attack.

The unexpected triumph of Gladstone in the General Election
of 1880 was a factor in international affairs with which Bismarck
now had to reckon. Lord Odo, in a private letter to Lord
Granville, while expressing his own happiness in his post,
frankly admitted that the Conservatives would be regretted
in Berlin, adding diplomatically that Bismarck was reassured on
hearing of Granville's appointment to the Foreign Office. The
change of government in England may have helped him to
decide that the time was ripe to mend the line to St. Petersburg.
The new Ambassador, Saburov, found him more approachable
than he had been for many a long day to Oubril, and both
Lord Odo and St. Vallier noticed how pleased he was with his
reception. The refusal of the French Government to extradite
Hartmann was another link in the chain of reconciliation, proving
as it did that there was no question of a secret agreement between
Russia and France. As St. Vallier shrewdly observed, "It was
a new situation to be studied with care and carefully watched."2

When Gorchakov came to Berlin in June, Bismarck no longer
avoided him. Lord Odo Russell found him as cheerful as
ever, breathing the most pacific sentiments, and full of eulogy
of Lord Dufferin.

To Lord Granville. 2 JuneJiSSo.—

". . . But what most particularly gratified him was to find that
^.O. 64. 959. No. 146. To Lord Salisbury. Secret. 25 March 1880,

*D.D.F. in: 76.

SF.CX 64. 960. No. 239-